Americans held abroad get very different levels of government help depending on who is holding them, which is bad news for anyone detained by a US ally.

• Cases that fit a useful political story get the full weight of Washington behind them.
• Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, jailed in Russia, got a prisoner swap because pressuring Russia suited the White House.
• A journalist briefly held by Hezbollah-linked forces in Baghdad also became front-page news.
• Americans detained by friendly governments get quiet treatment instead, with little press attention and little diplomatic muscle.
• The practical result is that a US passport protects you less than advertised unless your captor is already an adversary.

Outlook: Expect the pattern to hold, with high-profile rescues reserved for cases that serve a political narrative.